San Marino [Quenched]

[RjBeals]

Now Ruben....

Come on....

If Version 1.12c really made it to live play, would you be satisfied with it? That's just a 2 second stained glass filter applied to the background. It doesn't do anything for this map. The first texture (1.12d) doesn't really do much for the map either. Ruben - don't just do something for the sake that I (or someone) suggested you do it. Only follow through if you feel it leads your map in positive direction, and you're okay with the visuals. If you're not down with it - just let us know. If you would prefer a solid light green background, just let us know why. Ultimately, it's your map. But right now - my vote is to scrap the 2 options you just posted. Sorry homie.
'

[Ruben Cassar]

Now Ruben....

Come on....

If Version 1.12c really made it to live play, would you be satisfied with it? That's just a 2 second stained glass filter applied to the background. It doesn't do anything for this map. The first texture (1.12d) doesn't really do much for the map either. Ruben - don't just do something for the sake that I (or someone) suggested you do it. Only follow through if you feel it leads your map in positive direction, and you're okay with the visuals. If you're not down with it - just let us know. If you would prefer a solid light green background, just let us know why. Ultimately, it's your map. But right now - my vote is to scrap the 2 options you just posted. Sorry homie.
'

Homie? Hehe. What does that mean?

Anyway I am just trying to please everyone RJ. Personally I am fine with the plain background but I might be in the wrong so I added some textures. Granted 1.12c sucks now that I look at it better. 1.12d is fine for me. Does it add anything to the map? Well backgrounds rarely add anything to the map in my humble opinion. When people start playing it they don't focus on the background but the gameplay.

Still I want to try to make the background better if need be and if it makes people happy. Do you have some suggestion for the background? I am willing to experiment.

[Ruben Cassar]

I have added version 1.12e on page 1. Something a bit different for the background with a typical scene of San Marino.

I don't know if you like this one better. I think it detracts a bit the attention from the map but I'm not sure.

[bryguy]

definately 1.12e, the background there isnt as hard on the eyes, also in the version i liked how u moved the coin over (btw those should be v.2a/b/c/d/e

[gimil]

See you on the other side.

[Ruben Cassar]

definately 1.12e, the background there isnt as hard on the eyes, also in the version i liked how u moved the coin over (btw those should be v.2a/b/c/d/e

Okay, I've made it slightly lighter now as can be seen in the font option map so it shouldn't be much of problem on the eyes hopefully.

Speaking of the fonts.

On page 1 there is the map with 9 font options for the territory text. These are divided according to the 9 regions.

Choose which one you prefer and vote in the poll please.

[Ruben Cassar]

See you on the other side.

A star! Feels like I'm back to primary school.

Thanks teacher Gimil. Thank God I did not mention that my dad did all my homework!

[MrBenn]

Congratulations on your star!

I've voted for the Verdana font - it has the most clarity, and is not overly fussy. I've borrowed the style, and will be doing something similar on my Europe map

[Ruben Cassar]

Congratulations on your star!

I've voted for the Verdana font - it has the most clarity, and is not overly fussy. I've borrowed the style, and will be doing something similar on my Europe map

Thanks for your vote Ben.

I am undecided on 3 or 4 fonts now that I look at them. I am happy with any choice as long as the text is legible.

[t-o-m]

i like the picture background - looks good
i dont like the 1st font on the 1st pic on the 1st page, too umm harsh - or sharp (if you get me), i like the orginal ont, but it doesnt look right (if you get me agian )

d'you get me?

[oaktown]

I should be able to take a better look tomorrow, though the connection I use on Tuesday nights doesn't always appreciate the bandwidth-intensive first posts with all back versions.

At first glance it seems pretty straightforward. As for the font options, I have to say there isn't one that looks particularly good, just a couple that don't look as bad as the rest. Maybe instead of the hard stroke around the letters they need a softer glow to lose the pixelation?

And please include on the first post the image size you predict for both the small and large maps.

[Ruben Cassar]

I should be able to take a better look tomorrow, though the connection I use on Tuesday nights doesn't always appreciate the bandwidth-intensive first posts with all back versions.

At first glance it seems pretty straightforward. As for the font options, I have to say there isn't one that looks particularly good, just a couple that don't look as bad as the rest. Maybe instead of the hard stroke around the letters they need a softer glow to lose the pixelation?

And please include on the first post the image size you predict for both the small and large maps.

Thanks oaktown.

About the fonts, is it because they are a bit too bright? I can add opacity to the fonts to tone them down. I will try that once the poll determines the favourite font. I cannot remove the stroke because the text of the yellow territories bonus would not be visible on light coloured territories.

I will include the image size right now. An exact figure for the small one and a fairly accurate prediction for the large one.

[Ruben Cassar]

Ok guys. Some people have contacted me via pm and given me some feedback about the fonts and bonuses.

I decided to make some modification to the style of the fonts and the special bonus (visual changes)

This is the result which can also be viewed on page 1. Give me your feedback.

[bigimg]http://www.uploadgeek.com/uploads456/0/SanMarino1.13.jpg[/bigimg]

[RjBeals]

100% better!
I'm not sure what those smoke stacks are? But the font is great. Now just fix that outer border and you've got yourself one fine map!

[Ruben Cassar]

100% better!
I'm not sure what those smoke stacks are? But the font is great. Now just fix that outer border and you've got yourself one fine map!

Hahaha smoke stacks! They are the famous three towers (in Italian "tre torri") of San Marino. If you look well you can also see them on the coat of arms in the flag and on the coin.

Edit: The towers are always depicted with a silver ostrich feather on top of them. That's what seems like smoke I guess!

[oaktown]

alright, this is my first real look at this map, so I'll try to make my post a comprehensive one.

Geography: I can't say I've been to San Marino, but I've been through Italy a few times and the individual elements on the map don't give a proper sense of scale. San Marino is not a large area - about 10km wide I'm guessing - yet the mountain ranges you have running through the center of it give the impression that this is a big region we're talking about... either that, or I could jump over those mountains. And shouldn't there only be one range running through the country? I don't think that the mountains south of Ca'Vagnetto should be there at all - it should instead be a river, Il Fiumicello.

Graphics: Overall it is very clean, which I appreciate. The legend is straightforward and everything is clear. The font is much improved; that stroke had to go. Both the elements on the map itself - towers, rivers, and the mountains - look cartoonish, which isn't in keeping with the images around the exterior of the map. Since you're already using the stamp on the bottom left with the towers, maybe you could appropriate those towers for use on the map - it would be more appropriate.

Gameplay: again, very straightforward. I like the tower bonus, as it leaves room to collect a bonus on the sly. I'd maybe like to see the region borders a bit less heavy, as they could initially be confused as unpassables, but it's probably fine as is.

When I look at a new map, i try to imagine myself playing it and wondering what the most attractive starts would be. With that in mind, I don't much care for the two-territory +2 bonus, as it would be easy to start with this and have an automatic advantage over the rest of the field. I might also suggest you drop the bonus for the Chiesanuova region, as this will clearly be the most attractive start in the game; you leapfrog right from one small +2 to the next, never creating any additional borders to defend because you're protected by the range. You roll right along until you have a ten territory, +7 region (including the four towers) with only three borders to defend. Compare that to starting in the northeast, where you need 13 territories for a +7, and there's no easy to grab bonuses along the way.

For me what would mix things up a bit - and possibly make it more realistic to the actual region - would be to break up the one central mountain range and have more unpassable mountains throughout... rocky crags and the like.

overall really nice work so far.

[Ruben Cassar]

Thanks for your in depth feedback oaktown. I will try to address some issues you raised in this post.

alright, this is my first real look at this map, so I'll try to make my post a comprehensive one.

Geography: I can't say I've been to San Marino, but I've been through Italy a few times and the individual elements on the map don't give a proper sense of scale. San Marino is not a large area - about 10km wide I'm guessing - yet the mountain ranges you have running through the center of it give the impression that this is a big region we're talking about... either that, or I could jump over those mountains. And shouldn't there only be one range running through the country? I don't think that the mountains south of Ca'Vagnetto should be there at all - it should instead be a river, Il Fiumicello.

If you look at some other maps, (even the Malta map which I created) you will notice that these are not exactly accurate. In Malta we have no mountains but I used those as impassable objects for gameplay purposes.

In this map I took some liberties as the map maker. I was more focused on how the map would look and how it would play than on being 100% accurate. For example in the early drafts I had rivers passing through the middle of territories for the sake of being accurate. People were complaining saying this was confusing so I decided to remove the parts of the river that passed through territories and leave the part which served as an impassable border which basically is what is relevant to gameplay.

Graphics: Overall it is very clean, which I appreciate. The legend is straightforward and everything is clear. The font is much improved; that stroke had to go. Both the elements on the map itself - towers, rivers, and the mountains - look cartoonish, which isn't in keeping with the images around the exterior of the map. Since you're already using the stamp on the bottom left with the towers, maybe you could appropriate those towers for use on the map - it would be more appropriate.

Once again a map maker has to make his own decisions sometimes and give the map the direction he feels is more appropriate. I like the "cartoonish" approach and would like to keep it. The towers image was taken directly from the coat of arms of the city of San Marino.

Gameplay: again, very straightforward. I like the tower bonus, as it leaves room to collect a bonus on the sly. I'd maybe like to see the region borders a bit less heavy, as they could initially be confused as unpassables, but it's probably fine as is.

When I look at a new map, i try to imagine myself playing it and wondering what the most attractive starts would be. With that in mind, I don't much care for the two-territory +2 bonus, as it would be easy to start with this and have an automatic advantage over the rest of the field. I might also suggest you drop the bonus for the Chiesanuova region, as this will clearly be the most attractive start in the game; you leapfrog right from one small +2 to the next, never creating any additional borders to defend because you're protected by the range. You roll right along until you have a ten territory, +7 region (including the four towers) with only three borders to defend. Compare that to starting in the northeast, where you need 13 territories for a +7, and there's no easy to grab bonuses along the way.

For me what would mix things up a bit - and possibly make it more realistic to the actual region - would be to break up the one central mountain range and have more unpassable mountains throughout... rocky crags and the like.

overall really nice work so far.

Hmm perhaps you are right about the Montegiardino bonus. I don't want someone to get a lucky drop and have +2 at the start of the map. There are maps which have a 2 territory bonus like BeNeLux's Belgisch Brabant (+2) and I must admit that although I've played that map many times no one ever started with that regional bonus so far. Montegiardino can be attacked from 4 different territories though. Would it be fair to reduce its bonus to only +1?

Chiesanuova region. This could once again be similar to the BeNeLux map's Luxembourg bonus. In fact it's +1 in that map. Well I don't know, I guess we could reduce it to +1, but leaving Acquaviva and Citta' di San Marino as +2 would be fair then?

About the difference between East and West...yes the action will be mainly on the West side but drops usually distribute your armies around the whole map, so I don't think someone will get all his units on the Western part.

I would like to have more feedback about this bonuses issue from other users as well and see what they think as I'm undecided about what changes (if any) need to be done to the regional bonuses.

[gimil]

Which font do you want for the territory text?

Poll runs till Thu May 01, 2008 1:05 pm
You may select 1 option

Serravalle: Verdana – Bold - 10
3
37%

Domagnano: Trajan Pro – Bold - 10
1
12%

Faetano: Gill Sans – Regular – 12
0
No votes

Montegiardino: Arial – Bold – 10
0
No votes

Fiorentino: Century Gothic – Regular – 11
0
No votes

Borgo Maggiore: MS Sans Serif – Regular – 10
1
12%

Acquaviva: Franklin Gothic Book – Regular – 12
0
No votes

Citta’ di San Marino: Letter Gothic Std – Medium – 10
0
No votes

Chiesanuova: Copperplate Gothic Light – Regular – 10
3
37%


Total votes : 8

[sam_levi_11]

starting to really like this map, looks good and looks like it would be fun to play

thats all....oaktown couldnt you go after me not before

[Ruben Cassar]

ing to really like this map, looks good and looks like it would be fun to play

thats all....oaktown couldnt you go after me not before

Thanks Sam.

What about the bonuses? Does everyone like them or should there be any changes to the regional bonuses?

[Unit_2]

I like the text alot but its hard to see, change the color of it.

[Ruben Cassar]

I like the text alot but its hard to see, change the color of it.

The scope was to make the text less intrusive on the map because some people were complaining that the previous one was too bright and apparent.

[Ruben Cassar]

So does everyone agree with the bonuses on page 1?

No one has commented about them. Tell me what you think guys.

[trapyoung]

bonuses look good to me ruben, i also like the new look for the new description & images for the "yellow territories bonuses" - nice work

[Ruben Cassar]

bonuses look good to me ruben, i also like the new look for the new description & images for the "yellow territories bonuses" - nice work

Thanks trapyoung.

So I don't know what's next. If the bonuses are all right I'll just wait for more feedback from the mods and hope they grant me their stars.